It was a nice change when Wairarapa secured a 33-run first innings win over Hawke's Bay in their Hawke Cup qualifying senior men's cricket match at Queen Elizabeth Park oval, Masterton, on Sunday.
For more years than most in the local cricketing fraternity would care to remember Hawke's Bay have had the edge on Wairarapa at the top level, but this time it was the home team who called most of the shots, in a game shortened to just the one day because of Saturday's damp weather.
Top-order batsman Henry Cameron's 54 was the highlight of Wairarapa's 140 when they batted first and, with new skipper Peter Borren and Seth Rance taking four wickets apiece, Hawke's Bay were dismissed for 107.
Wairarapa selector-coach Mark Brown was rapt with his team's success, which followed on a first innings win over another of their arch-rivals in Manawatu.
"We probably should have scored more runs but we knew we had enough to be competitive providing the bowlers put the ball in the right places, and they did just that," Brown said. "Once we got the foot on the throat we kept it there, it was good to see."
